Hot Rod Forum banner

Side rocker panels

3K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  hirax 
#1 ·
Hi
I need Your help!
From where on internet I can find and purchase outer rocker panels for Mercury Cougar 1986 or Ford Thunderbird 1986?
I found this page: www.rustrepair.com/Rocker_panel_AOL.htm ,
but they dont answer to my e-mails. I cant call them.
Are rocker panels for Ford Mustang with fox body type same or similar.
Cougar and Thunderbird are fox bodys also.
And I have heard a rumor that Mustang SN95 rocker panels are close.
Feels like rocker panels do not exist for 83-88 Thunderbirds or Cougars. For older and newer body types, no problem.
 
#2 ·
I see what you mean... The first place I would turn to for replacement panels would be http://www.shermanparts.com/ but I see they don't list rocker panels.

I had one of these cars... I remember it as having a jacking point on the rocker panel. This might be a structurally significant area? You might have to get something cut out at a junk-yard, and be sure to brace the door openning before cutting out the old and until the new panel is welded in.

Is this rust or collision damage replacement?
 
#4 ·
It wouldn't be hard to find in a U.S. junkyard, and if you're already okay with ordering a new panel and going through all the shipping, customs and wait with that, it wouldn't be that different. If you find one in the southwest, you should have a decent chance of the panel not being rusted out.

If I recall correctly, the form isn't a compound curve. It might be about as easy to form the panels yourself. I'm not sure what your plans are with this car, but if it's something you need to drive, you might find that cutting away a rusted outer problem is just the start of problems that might be hidden behind it.

This is a unibody car if I recall, it will be important to support the body well when you cut away the rusted out rocker panel and to keep the support in place until the new panel is welded in. Like at least two jack stands under the frame on each side of the door openning.

Ideally, bolt or weld a brace across the door openning on the inside before the door is removed and with it closed. If you can do this work without removing or openning the door, although if you keep the door on and have it open, you'll want to support the weight of the door. All of this you want to do one side at a time.

This is overkill if you're replacing just an outer rocker panel, but these panels are more likely to rust from the inside out which can mean there are worse panels behind, and you could be cut back a ways before you find how far in you'd need to replace panels.

How solid are the seats? Can you see the seat bottoms moving if you push on the seat back? This can be a sign of rusted floors that are covered by carpet.

And I'd probably just put the money towards a sheet metal brake and form the panels myself.

Am I anticipating something that's worse than it is? Over here if an '80's Cougar or Thunderbird was rusted out to the point of needing replacement panels, it would not be worth it.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for answering!
As I said on introduction, before starting my "life project" I try to obtain some body welding experiences with total rebuilding of my Cougar. I like my car body design and it is rare car here :)
The engine and most of interior parts are removed now. The floor is also very rusted, especially under pedals of driver side and fuel tank brackets are also practically missed.
Main problem with rocker panels is that they have combined curves on both ends. I am not able to make them myself. Middle part is not problem, it is straight and even each third metal workshop should be able to make that profil for me. I hope :)

Driver side floor


and there is my left side rocker panel


fuel tank brackets


Now I building the body rotisserie to get better access to work under floor.
What You guess, when I work with floor and rocker panel, can I lift up the car or must it stand on ground with jackstand?
 
#7 ·
From the pictures I'd say that if you cut around the rust hole and make a smaller patch for that area that you can weld in and apply body filler over it, that would be the way to go. You won't have to worry about the door openning changing like you would if you replaced the entire rocker panel.

You may have noticed the notches on the bottom of the rocker panel as well. Those are for drainage, clean them out good to prevent this from happenning again.

I've patched worse, 1955 Mercury's don't have much replacement panels available and there's not even that much available in junk yards.
 
#8 ·
JamieK said:
Already done..,
No help from there :(
Slipangle said:
if you cut around the rust hole and make a smaller patch for that area that you can weld in and apply body filler over it, that would be the way to go.
I will think about this possibility. Maybe it will be the only way what i can do :confused:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top